Thirteen-year-old Gautham Sumesh remembers the first time he beat his dad, Sumesh Pulavathil, at badminton. Gautham had been playing since he was old enough to swing a racket.
“My dad was really addicted to badminton and he really liked it when I played,” Gautham said, adding his dad would never hold back during a match.
When he did finally win for the first time a couple years ago, his father was thrilled and bought Gautham a drink to celebrate.
Tragedy struck last October when Pulavathil was killed in a crash on a highway near Estevan, Sask.
While Pulavathil is no longer alive, his dreams for his son are bearing fruit. Gautham is readying himself to play in the national championship in New Brunswick.
“He would be really happy,” Gautham said.
Badminton dreams
Sumesh Pulavathil and his wife Gayathri Ramdas left India in 2022, hoping to give Gautham more time, space and training in Canada to become a top-tier badminton player.
“When we moved to Canada, we had only one thing in mind — Gautham’s badminton,” said Ramdas. “It’s the foundation of our family life.”
Her husband spared no expense when it came to his son’s game, buying him multiple shoes and rackets, and coaching him through every game. Pulvathil began coaching other kids too.
Ramdas said that while the family was devastated by her husband’s death, quitting badminton was never a question.
“Many of his friends called me and said, you know what, whatever happens, you don’t have to stop Gautham’s badminton, because we know how much Sumesh wants him to be a player,” she recalled, noting how much that support meant to her.
Gautham Sumesh learned to play badminton from his father, who came to Canada with hopes of furthering his son’s future in the sport. Now, the 13-year-old is heading to nationals.
Since his father’s death, Gautham has focused on training hard, including when the time came for the provincial competition this April.
“When I started playing provincials here, nobody knew me,” he said.
He said noting no one spoke to him, perhaps underrating him as a player.
“After I won the provincials, everybody was like, ‘hey, good job.’ Everybody started talking to me and becoming friends with me.”
Ramdas said that even though her son won, she could see the day was bittersweet for him, not having his dad by his side.
“He understands the value of relationship, especially to Sumesh, and he misses him,” she said.
But she’s seen her son grow up, and show the values of sportsmanship and good play that she and her husband hoped to instill in him, as he charts out his ambitions to become a professional badminton player someday.
“I’m slowly catching up all the dreams which we nurtured before.”
